Pycrantha Pruning

[Rach]

I have a rather large but very nice Pycrantha, in fact 3! 2 are alongside a garage and growing up and above a pagoda. One of these is smothered in berries from the earlier flowers. I don't really prune this as the majority of it is high above the pagoda.
The second is along the garage in the same bit of garden, just basically the other end. This again I have not really pruned but this one has hardly any flowers/berries at all.

I read last year that the flowers only appear on lasts years growth so I have def made a point of not pruning the 2nd shrub yet still hardly any flowers. Any ideas why?

My 3rd is over the other side of the garden probably 2/3 yrs old and has grown massive and is smothered in berries as is the first.
However I need to prune it as it is hanging over my pond.
So if I prune it once all the berries are gone (think be Feb/March next year) I presume I will not get any flowers next year?

(some people may not this looks similar to a previous thread, it is the same except one vital fact, I said it was my quince when in fact I was talking about my Pycratha's!!!

 

[Robert Cummings]

I think you mean Pyracantha, a thorny shrub with orange red or sometimes yellow berries, We usually prune these between May to September in order to give them chance to recover before winter sets in, never had any problems with not flowering or no berries.

 

[Rach]

thanks, so you lose the berries then with branches you have pruned. I hate doing that as the birds love them! I may just wait until majority of berries have gone and then prune and see what happens!
I did mean that shrub yes

 

[Robert Cummings]

The problem with waiting is that the plant may not shoot sufficiently to carry it through the winter

 

[Rach]

The problem with waiting is that the plant may not shoot sufficiently to carry it through the winter

thanks Rob, I will give the one that has no berries a good prune. Do you leave any long branches or just cut off the side shoots off main branches?

 

[Robert Cummings]

If you need to cut main branches you can but the more thick wood you cut the longer it will take to recover. In Shropshire which is north of us I would definately do it sooner rather than later.